Sorry it took so long, was (And are currently) in the middle of massive exams (2 years too early, I might add) so my life has been going crazy. However, I've decided I've abandoned you long enough! On with the story!

"Who's he?"

Those were the first words out of Hallam's mouth, which was amazingly rude considering the man sitting opposite me was not only a lord but a man Hallam had met on several occasions. With Agnes on his arm. Not that I was bothered or cared either way.

I gave him a massive smile and turned around to face him, placing my tea cup back into the sourcer and putting it back on the coffee table.

"Hallam, darling, so glad you got home finally. Agnes was getting worried. This is Lord Dexter. You remember Dexter, don't you darling?" I gently prodded, gesturing to the blond man who gave me a grin before standing and executing a small bow to Hallam, who didn't deserve it. Hallam was currently glaring at the man in question, his eyes as cold as ice and hard as steel. He passed his coat to the butler (Blast it all, what was his name again?) and proceeded to approach to sofa was an immense amount of caution.

"Please, Dexter, don't keep standing, for gods sake, it's only my brother in law and he won't bite."

"That depends on who I might be biting and how close they are to you." Hallam muttered under his breath to me, standing closer to my seated body. I lightly slapped him on his knee (Discreetly, of course) and gave Dexter a charming smile.

"Truth be told, he can be a bit of a grouch and a bore at times. You just learn to ignore him. He'll talk about something interesting when he's good and ready. Tea, Hallam?"

I shuffled even further along the sofa, reminding him of how close was appropriate in polite society. Not that Lord Dexter was any type of polite society, if the looks he'd been giving me before Hallam showed up where any indication. Not that I hadn't been flirting back. Some good, bad boy fun was just what I needed to get over my sisters husband.

I poured the tea and offered it to Hallam, who promptly waved it away and turned towards his liquor cabinet.

"Actually, Persie, I'm in the mood for something stronger." His voice was strained and horse. It looked like it took physical effort for him to turn to Dexter.

"What do you say, old boy? Something harder?"

I almost spluttered out my tea when Dexter shook his head and politely declined, staying standing.

"Actually, I rather thought I'd take my leave of Lady Persie. I've got an engagement thats rather pressing and cannot be put off." He turned towards me and slowly winked.

I laughed, trying to make it sound tinkling and care free.

"Don't tell me my beastly brother in law has scared you away, Dexter, darling?" I inquired.

"Persie." Hallam snapped warningly, having finished pouring himself some brandy. He had turned and was leaning against the wall, his eyes trained on me and burning with an emotion I couldn't quite identify.

Dexter laughed.

"Not at all my dear Lady Persie. I trust I can call on you tomorrow afternoon. Perhaps we could take a ride through Hyde Park?" He suggested, his eyes flickering towards Hallam who stayed stonily silent.

I laughed again.

"That would be most wonderful, Lord Dexter. I hardly ever get out these days what will my sister determined to find me a suitable husband. It's been quite ghastly."

"I can imagine." Dexter agreed, his eyes sparkling as he lifted my hand to his lips. But before his lips had even brushed my hand, a large bang of glass on wood from Hallam jolted us back into the room.

Hallam had finished the brandy in one big gulp. He then proceeded to gesture through the door as the butler (I really must start trying to remember the staffs damned names) arrived with Dexter's coat, hat, gloves etc etc.

"Allow me to escort you to the door, Lord Dexter." Hallam's voice was strained and forcibly polite. I instantly jumped to my feet.

"No need, Hallam, darling. I will show Lord Dexter out." I was starting for the door when Hallam's hand snaked out and caught my upper arm, hauling me back so every inch of my body was very lightly brushing his.

"I don't think that would be wise, My lady." His voice was dangerous and menacing.

I gave him a purely innocent look.

"No, my lord?"

"A young woman alone in the corridor with a young man?"

"In her own home!" I laughed and tried to remove myself from Hallam's grasp without causing a scene for Dexter. Dexter didn't seem to notice, instead flirting with Harry Spargo's maid (Beryl, wasn't it? I was getting better).

"It would still not be wise." Hallam lent closer and his lips brushed my ear. I shivered, but not from cold. "For either of us, Persie."

I turned my head and met his gorgeous dark eyes head on.

"I don't think it's wise for us to be together at all, Hallam." I answered just as quietly.

His hand tightened on my arm, as if he was never going to let me go.

"Where's your sense of adventure, of risk?" He demanded harshly.

I blinked at him.

"Where's your sense of pride and caution?" I countered. "You've got a wife and two adorable children. One day, I hope to have that."

"With me." Hallam hissed.

I shook my head sadly.

"Oh, darling Hallam. Deary, darling, silly Hallam. As I just pointed out, you've got a wife and two children. One day I will have that, perhaps with Dexter or another man. We will be happy."

"Over my dead body will you go to another man." Hallam's eyes burned. "We'll work this out."

I shrugged.

"I might have once been willing to be the other woman, Hallam. But not any more. Do not force me to go against the sister who's done everything for me."

"I will do everything for you." He insisted stubbornly.

"You will try. The best thing you can do is let me go." I told him, my heart aching and splintering like some kind of ice sculpture being chipped away one blow at a time.

"Never." Hallam vowed. "You're mine, Persephone Kathleen Towyn. Nobody elses. Mine."

I rolled my eyes.

"Who knew you could be so possessive?" I asked lightly before raising my voice slightly. "Now, Hallam, be reasonable. I will escort Dexter out. It would hardly be a scandal."

"I am your legal guardian. I say I will take him."

"I will."

"Persie, I will."

"Hallam, I will."

"Not."

"Will."

"Not."

And then we were fighting like his children did. Childish, delightful, and delicious, non-harmful fun.

"If you don't mind, Lady Persie, Sir Hallam." The Butler (Pritchard! He name was Pritchard! Hallelujah, I remembered!). "But allow me to escort the gentleman to the door."

"Oh." I recovered myself and folded my hands behind me back, giving both men a smile. "What an excellent idea, Pritchard. Why did we not think of that Hallam?"

I once again offered my hand to Dexter, who took it before Hallam could snatch it away. He pressed and urgent kiss against the back of it and smiled up at me.

"Until tomorrow afternoon, my lady."

I gave him a slight smile.

"I will be counting down the minutes, Lord Dexter."

His eyes twinkled as he straightened up.

"Try not to miss me too much."

I rolled my eyes at his sarcastic arrogance.

"It will be a trial of strength, but I'm sure I'll manage it, my lord."

Dexter winked at me before leaving.

"I have no doubt that you will, Lady Persie. If anybody could, it'd be you."

Beryl closed the door behind him as he left. Then it was just me and Hallam. On our own. This couldn't be good. Already, I was longing for his touch on my skin. I could see the same longing in his eyes.

"No, Hallam. We mustn't-"

Suddenly, I found myself up against the wall, Hallam's hard body pinning me there, his lips crashing down on mine in a possessive manner, one of his hands twisting and twirling through my hair and the other working it's way up my body towards my breasts. And I couldn't stop it. Hell, I didn't want to stop it. I wrapped my legs around his waist and brought him closer to me, pelvis to pelvis. I loved this man, for gods sake. Why should I not connect with him in the ways of the flesh?

Fuck. Had I just said I loved Hallam?

I broke away as this horrifying thought entered my head. Surely not? He just wanted me as a plaything. I just had an attraction to him. I didn't love my SISTER'S HUSBAND. I tried to shout that bit at my head, my feelings, telling them it wasn't right.

But, however, like me, my head and feelings were stubborn things and refused to retract a statement like that.

"Persie." Hallam's lips were on my neck, my breasts everywhere, yet he still managed to whisper my name horsely. "Come to bed."

I struggled against him, against me, against this whole wretched situation. This was simply too much to bare.

"No."

"Darling." He lifted his head to meet my eyes. "You must."

"Says who?" I asked stubbornly. "Agnes is downstairs. She will notice if you and I pop off to the bedroom that the two of you share and she hears screaming."

Hallam's eyes gleamed.

"You think you'd scream for me?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes, trying to stop the shaking in my body and sound flippant.

"I scream for every man. I'm known for it."

Hallam's face was then in mine.

"I will make you scream the loudest and the longest. It will be my name you scream and you will scream repeatedly until you beg for mercy."

I laughed, suddenly even more shaken up.

"Even more of a reason why not to do it, considering Agnes is downstairs. Hallam, darling, surely you see the practicalities. This affair just isn't going to happen."

"What if I make sure it's not an affair? I'll divorce Agnes!" Hallam cried desperately.

I laughed bitterly.

"Would you really darling? Divorce the woman you used to be madly in love with, the mother of your children, over me?"

Hallam pressed nearer to me.

"Yes. Anything for you. I'd do anything for you."

I chuckled.

"You make me sound like a drug."

"You are a drug." Hallam insisted. "To me."

"And like a drug eventually I will make you ill and make you die. You will eventually regret that you had anything to do with me. I can't do that to you Hallam, I just can't. I love you too much."

"Then marry me and prove that you love me." He pressurised.

I laughed again and slipped down his body.

"I think not." I tapped him on his nose. "You'll thank me for this some day."

Even if I shattered into a million pieces the moment I walk out of this room, at least I would've repaid Agnes, protected those little kiddies. And I would've made sure Hallam kept everything he's ever worked for. They all deserve it.

"No. I won't let you go. Didn't you hear me before?" He demanded fiercely. "You're mine. I'll never let you go."

He crushed his lips to mine again. I let out a startled gasp but melted into him. Suddenly, there was footsteps along the corridor and the door knob jiggled.

"Persie? Are you in there? Pritchard said that Hallam had arrived and-blast it all, this door is stuck again. One second."

Hallam and I jerked our lips apart but before we could do anything other then move a few centimetres away from each other, Agnes had stumbled into the room having freed the door.

"Ah, there we are- Hallam!" A delighted smile spread across my sister's face and I wanted to slap it off. Make her feel the pain as I now felt. My lips were delightfully bruised and I was sure that Agnes could tell what had been going on the moment she looked at me. But though she glanced at me, he focus was mainly on Hallam. "Why didn't you come and get me when you arrived home? You are early." She gushed.

Hallam shrugged awkwardly, running his hand through his already tousled hair, his hand shaking. In fact, he was almost vibrating. I was sure Agnes would notice that. But clearly my sister was the most unobservant person in the universe.

"Well, I came up here to find you, only to find Persie and a man. Alone. Together." he stressed suddenly, looking Agnes straight in the eye, almost menacingly.

Agnes didn't notice.

"I know, isn't it wonderful? He came to call on her, of his own free will too!" She almost bounced with excitement. "Can you think what this might lead to? A wedding! Some cousins for Veronica and Henry! (A/N: Not sure if this is what their sons name was called, so please just go with it) Think of the possibilities, Hallam!"

"Yes, well." Hallam responded curtly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now."

Agnes instantly nodded her head.

"No, no, of course not. It's just that-" Finally, she took a good look at me a gasped. "good lord, what happened to you?" She then glanced at both of us and her mouth dropped. "What happened to both of you."

"Umm..."

"What's going on?"